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The team was originally known as the Oklahoma City 89ers from 1962 to 1997 when the team played at the now-demolished All Sports Stadium at the state fairgrounds. It first competed in the Triple-A American Association (AA) in 1962, moved to the PCL from 1963 to 1968, and returned to the AA from 1969 to 1997. After the league disbanded, they rejoined the PCL in 1998 and became known as the Oklahoma RedHawks. They were called the Oklahoma City RedHawks from 2009 to 2014 before taking on the moniker of their major league affiliate in 2015.

Team history

Oklahoma City has been home to professional baseball for all but a few years since 1904, when the Metropolitans (Mets) were established as the city's first team.[2] Oklahoma City's teams and names have changed numerous times since. The team became known as the Indians in 1909 before returning to the original Mets name in 1910 and reverting again to the Indians name in 1911. Oklahoma City was home to the Senators in 1912. After one year without a baseball team, Oklahoma City's squad became the Boosters in 1914. The Senators name returned from 1915 to 1916, but the Boosters name came back in 1917. The Oklahoma City Indians name returned in 1918 and the team name stuck until 1957 (the team did not compete during World War II).[3]

Oklahoma City's current baseball franchise began competing in 1962 as the Oklahoma City 89ers following a four-year period without professional baseball in the area.[4] The franchise's original name made reference to the Land Run of 1889, which led to the founding of Oklahoma City. After the Houston Buffaloes of the American Association were purchased for territorial rights by the Houston Colt .45s (later the Houston Astros) of the National League, the big league club decided to move the Buffs elsewhere. In July 1961, Spec Richardson, who was then general manager of the Buffs, met with Oklahoma City officials and boosters, and agreed to move the team.[5][6][7] After a unanimous approval from the American Association's board of directors, the current franchise began play in 1962 as the top affiliate of the Houston Colt .45s.[8] Eventually, the Astros sold the team to Tulsa businessman, P. C. Dixon, in November 1970.[9] In 1973, a three-year connection with the Cleveland Indians was established. A later affiliation with the Philadelphia Phillies lasted from 1976 until 1982.

Oklahoma City RedHawks logo from 2009 to 2014

In 1983, the Texas Rangers became the parent club, a relationship that would continue as the 89ers adopted new colors and uniforms along with the nickname "RedHawks" in 1998. The city's first professional baseball name change in 35 years corresponded with the team's move to its current home, Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, and with the team's return to the Pacific Coast League in 1998.[10] The team was renamed the RedHawks after the red-tailed hawk, a bird of prey commonly seen throughout Oklahoma. When announcing the new name, team officials noted the raptor's four-foot wingspan and migration patterns, which always return the bird to Oklahoma. A hawk is also part of the state's official song.[11]

Prior to the 2009 season, the team once again named itself after its home city. The minor renaming was accompanied by new logos and a new color scheme.[12] The team's name change to the Oklahoma City RedHawks was made to honor Oklahoma City citizens who paid for the ballpark through a temporary one-cent sales tax to fund the Metropolitan Area Projects Plan or MAPS.[13]

On September 14, 2010, the Texas Rangers ownership announced that they were moving their Triple-A affiliation to the Round Rock Express (formerly the Astros' Triple-A affiliate).[14] On September 15, the RedHawks were sold to Mandalay Baseball Properties, which also owns or operates four other Minor League Baseball teams, and is part of the Mandalay Entertainment conglomerate chaired by entertainment industry executive Peter Guber. On September 20, Mandalay entered into a formal agreement for the RedHawks to become the Astros' new Triple-A affiliate.[15][16]

After the 2014 season, the RedHawks announced the sale of the franchise to a partnership between Mandalay Entertainment Chairman and CEO Peter Guber, other current principals of Mandalay Baseball Properties, Jason Sugarman,[17] and the Los Angeles Dodgers. As a result of the purchase agreement, the RedHawks became the Triple-A affiliate of the Dodgers in 2015 and were renamed after their parent club, becoming the Oklahoma City Dodgers.[18]

Mendoza pitched the team's first nine-inning no-hitter on August 14, 2009, against the Salt Lake Bees at Bricktown Ballpark. He threw 125 pitches, including 74 for strikes. He walked six and struck out six batters in the 5–0 win.|[20]

Six players have hit three home runs in a single game. Adrián González became the first to accomplish the offensive feat on May 24, 2005, at Albuquerque. He went 3-for-4 with five RBI. All three of Nelson Cruz's hits on July 19, 2008, against Memphis were home runs. He went 3-for-5 with five RBI in the game. Nate Gold went 4-for-5 with three homers and four RBI on July 28, 2008, at Colorado Springs. Chad Tracy hit three homers on June 27, 2010, against Omaha, finishing the game 3-for-3 with five RBI. Mike Hessman went 4-for-4 with three homers on June 3, 2012, against Iowa.[21]Matt Duffy went 3-for-4 with three homers and three RBI on June 9, 2014, against Salt Lake.

Gregorio Petit is the lone OKC player to record two grand slams in one game, accomplishing the feat June 22, 2010 at New Orleans. [22]

Anderson Hernandez put together the longest hitting streak in team history August 2 – September 2, 2011 – a streak that lasted 30 games. [23]

The 2013 Redhawks made numerous entries into the club's record book. The RedHawks set the team record for most runs scored in a game at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark and tied the club record for most runs scored in a game overall in a 24–5 win against Colorado Springs on August 3, 2013.[24]

The 2013 squad also compiled the longest overall and home winning streaks in club history. The RedHawks won 12 straight games overall from July 26 to August 6. They continued winning at home, stringing together 17 consecutive wins at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark from July 26 to August 20.[25]

The 2015 OKC Dodgers set a new modern era mark for wins, finishing the regular season with the best record in the PCL at 86-58 and going on to win the American Northern Division title. The last OKC team to win at least 86 games was the 1965 Oklahoma City 89ers (91-54). The 2015 team also set single-season team records for road wins (44), fewest runs allowed (608) and fewest home runs allowed (89). The team stood 30 games above .500 (85-55) during the season, marking the first time the team reached that mark in the team’s modern PCL history. OKC Dodgers manager Damon Berryhill was named 2015 PCL Manager of the Year, becoming the first OKC manager to win the honor since Greg Biagini in 1999. [26]

Corey Seager became the second OKC player in the PCL era to record six hits in a game when he went 6-for-6 in Salt Lake May 28, 2015, including a home run and two doubles. Seager collected six RBI and scored two runs. Jeff Pickler was the first OKC player in the modern era to accomplish the feat June 22, 2004 at Albuquerque, going 6-for-6 with a double, triple and RBI. [27]

The 2016 OKC Dodgers claimed a second straight 80-win regular season and picked up back-to-back PCL American Northern Division championships. They advanced to the PCL Championship Series for the first time since 2008. [28]

The 2016 Dodgers posted a 3.72 team ERA to establish a new club record during the PCL era and the OKC pitching staff racked up a league-leading 1,245 strikeouts to set the PCL modern era record for strikeouts in just 141 games. The Dodgers allowed a league-low 372 walks, also the fewest allowed by an OKC team during the PCL era. Pitcher Jose De Leon became the first OKC pitcher to record five double-digit strikeout games in one season. [29]

The record-breaking continued for the OKC Dodgers in 2017. The team broke its own record for strikeouts as Dodgers pitchers combined for 1,277 strikeouts during the season. [30]

Right-handed starting pitcher Wilmer Font led the charge and paced all of Triple-A baseball with 178 strikeouts and set OKC’s all-time single-season strikeout record (since 1998). He tied former Dodger Jose De Leon’s club record by compiling five games with at least 10 strikeouts. Font racked up a team-record 15 strikeouts May 15 against Sacramento at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark and went on to be named the PCL Pitcher of the Year. [31]

The Dodgers recorded back-to-back-to-back home runs for the first time in modern team history (since 1998) June 9, 2017 against Round Rock in Oklahoma City. With one out in the first inning, Joc Pederson, Scott Van Slyke and Willie Calhoun each homered within a span of five pitches. [32]

The third-largest crowd in Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark history was on hand to watch a rehab appearance by Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw August 26, 2017 against the Omaha Storm Chasers. A standing-room-only crowd of 13,106 was the largest in OKC since April 18, 1998 – the third game ever played at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. [33]

Radio and broadcasters

The Oklahoma City Dodgers broadcast all their games on the radio on KGHM (AM) 1340 The Game and television live on MiLB.TV, some select games are also broadcast locally on YurView Oklahoma on Cox Cable Oklahoma channel 703 and simulcasted on Cox digital HD channels 1333 or 1334 (In case of scheduling conflicts with local High School Football.) starting in June 2018 against the Salt Lake Bees on June 15, 2018.

The current main radio/television broadcaster for the Oklahoma City Dodgers is Alex Freeman 2012-present. Substitute Broadcaster (When Alex Freeman is doing the local television broadcasts.) is KGHM (AM) 1340 The Game/News-radio 1000 KTOK-AM sports director Randy Renner. Current Radio color commentator: None. Current local television color commentator: Varies with each game.

The team has had multiple broadcasters who advanced to the major league level.

See also

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